Resounding within the
modern gothic arches of The Kirk of Dunedin Community Church in Dunedin,
Florida, is one of the great orchestral/theatre styled pipe organs in the
world.
Designed and assembled by Terry Charles,internationally
renowned Curator Of The Organ, it comprises wind chests and pipes from various historic instruments.
It is unique in source, installation and variety of voices. The world
famous organ is heard in concert by thousands each season, and enjoys its appropriate title, "The Grand Duchess."

The Sanctuary of The
Kirk Of Dunedin was designed architecturally and acoustically with music from a
grand pipe organ in mind. Likewise, the pipe organ chambers, which house a
multitude of pipes, are of special design and construction to allow the organ's
voices to "bloom" into magnificent music. The pipe organ contains more than a
million solder connections, hundreds of thousands of parts and miles and miles
of copper wire.

The magnificent four
manual ebony and gold leaf all electric console was designed and built by Terry Charles. Greatly increased in versatility and capacity in 1998, the "horseshoe"
features an array of THREE HUNDRED SEVEN stop tabs which virtually
surround the organist. A creation in itself, the console is one of the
largest in the world. Almost eight feet wide, it features more than one
hundred ten combination pistons and a solid state combination system with
multiple memory levels. The console rests upon a platform of oak hardwood
and steel. It is easily moved, from its normal worship position within the
choir loft, to the hydraulic lift and its concert position in the center of the
Chancel.

The console controls the
"brain center," a unique system of state of the art electronics. This system
operates the vast array of ONE HUNDRED ranks, or organ voices, and genuine
orchestral percussions. The compliment of percussions include xylophone,
two sets of cathedral chimes, glockenspiel, twin celested chrysoglotts, metal and wood harps,
harpsichord (digital) and two (yes, TWO!!) Baldwin concert grand pianos. These are joined by a full
complement of actual drums, cymbals and other percussion instruments.
Indeed, the Grand Duchess is the "ORCHESTRAL ORGAN"!

The Kirk Pipe Organ is
"crowned" by the "FESTIVAL TRUMPETS EN CHAMADE" above the elegant organ
facade and below the faceted glass rose window. Designed by Terry Charles
and displayed in horizontal
fashion, each trumpet pipe is hand made of solid spun brass. These
trumpets provide inspiring visual beauty as well as a joyful and festive sound.

The Kirk Organ
Series is certainly the largest series of theatre style pipe organ concerts
in the world. The series presents thirty one concerts each season.
More than EIGHT HUNDRED formal concerts have been presented
since they began as an extension of the music ministry from the church
to the community.

TERRY CHARLES,
innovative Curator of the Grand Duchess, is the featured artist on the concert
series. He is acclaimed one of the world's leading theatre organ preservationists.
He recently performed his SIXHUNDREDTH concert on
the Kirk Organ Series, an amazing feat and perhaps something of aworld record in itself !